Heavy Snow in Illinois, January 7, 2010

Name: Heavy Snow in Illinois, January 7, 2010
Start: 2010-01-07T00:00
End: 2010-01-07T10:00
Location: Illinois

January 7, 2010 · NWS PAH · 5 events in 5 counties and zones

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 5 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 5

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What happened

The episode as NWS PAH wrote it up.

A low pressure center moved eastward across central Illinois and Indiana, bringing about three inches of snow from the Marion/Carbondale area north to Mount Vernon. A few reports of four inches were received along the Illinois Route 13 corridor from Murphysboro to Marion. Most schools were cancelled. A number of accidents occurred, mostly vehicles sliding off roads. The state police district headquarters at DuQuoin reported three accidents with injuries (indirect) and 54 requests for motorist assistance. A number of vehicles slid off Interstate 57 into the median or down embankments. A car slid down a small street and into Lake of Egypt in Williamson County. There were no injuries. Very cold temperatures in the wake of the cold front preserved the snow cover for several days. Blowing and drifting snow occurred, especially in rural open country. Firefighters fought the elements as a house was destroyed by fire in Spillertown in Williamson County. The house's furnace was suspected as the cause of the fire.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Paducah, KY wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jan 6, 9:55 PM CST, 2 hours 5 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jan 6, 9:55 PM CST, 2 hours 5 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
955 PM CST WED JAN 6 2010

.UPDATE...
REVISED PUBLIC DISCUSSION FOR UPDATE TO FORECAST PACKAGE. ALSO
UPDATED AVIATION DISCUSSION AS WELL.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
WINTER STORM CONTINUES TO UNFOLD ACROSS THE REGION WITH LIGHT SNOW
NOW BEING REPORTED IN WESTERNMOST PORTIONS OF SOUTHEAST MISSOURI AND
SOUTHWEST ILLINOIS LATE THIS EVENING. AS THE UPPER LEVEL STORM
SYSTEM APPROACHES FROM THE WEST...LIGHT TO OCCASIONALLY MODERATE
SNOW WILL CONTINUE TO OVERSPREAD SOUTHEAST MISSOURI AND SOUTHERN
ILLINOIS THIS EVENING...REACHING SOUTHWEST INDIANA AND WESTERN
KENTUCKY OVERNIGHT. LATEST 07/00Z NAM12 MAINTAINS AN EVENT TOTAL QPF
FORECAST OF GREATER THAN ONE QUARTER INCH OVER NORTHERN PORTIONS OF
SOUTHERN ILLINOIS...TAPERING TO ONE TENTH OF AN INCH OVER FAR
SOUTHERN SECTIONS OF SOUTHEAST MISSOURI AND WESTERN KENTUCKY. USING
AN AVERAGE 15 TO 1 SNOW/LIQUID RATIO...TOTAL SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OF 3
TO 5 INCHES ARE LIKELY ACROSS MUCH OF THE WARNING AREA...WITH 1 TO 2
INCHES OVER THE ADVISORY AREA.

WITH THE REGION IN THE LEFT EXIT REGION OF AN APPROACHING UPPER
LEVEL JET STREAK...LIFT WILL BE ON THE INCREASE OVERNIGHT. THE BEST
COMBINATION OF UPPER LEVEL FORCING AND LOW LEVEL FRONTOGENETICAL
FORCING APPEARS TO EXIST OVER NORTHERN PORTIONS OF SOUTHEAST
MISSOURI AND SOUTHERN ILLINOIS /NORTH OF ILLINOIS ROUTE 13/...WHERE
AS MUCH AS 4 TO 5 INCHES MAY ACCUMULATE BY THURSDAY MORNING. THE
HEAVIEST SNOWS MAY ACTUALLY OCCUR IN A 2 TO 3 HOUR WINDOW LATE
TONIGHT INTO THURSDAY MORNING ON THE BACK EDGE OF THE PRECIPITATION
AS THE COLD FRONT SWEEPS EAST ACROSS THE AREA.

REFER TO THE PREVIOUS DISCUSSION FOR MORE DETAILS FURTHER OUT IN THE
FORECAST PERIOD.

&&

.AVIATION...
CIGS LOWERING TO LOW VFR THIS EVENING WILL BEGIN PRECIPITATING -SN
BY/AFT 06Z. VSBY RESTRICTING SNOW WILL FALL FROM MVFR CIGS BY/AFT
09Z. ISOLD VSBYS BLO 1SM WILL OCCUR AS JET STREAK MOVES OVERHEAD BY
AROUND 12Z...AND CIGS MAY LIKEWISE SINK TO AOB 1K FT AGL. EVV/OWB
TAFS WILL BE LAST TO SEE SNOW AND AFOREMENTIONED TIMES MAY BE
ACHIEVED GIVING 1-2 HRS LATER. SNOW SHOULD BE ENDING BY MID-LATE AM
AS WAVE PUSHES OUT...WITH WINDS PICKING UP BRISKLY OUT OF THE W/NW
TOMORROW PM.

&&

.PAH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
KY...WINTER STORM WARNING FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 6 PM CST THURSDAY
     FOR BALLARD-CALDWELL-CRITTENDEN-DAVIESS-HENDERSON-HOPKINS-
     LIVINGSTON-LYON-MCCRACKEN-MCLEAN-MUHLENBERG-UNION KY-
     WEBSTER.

     WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 6 PM CST
     THURSDAY FOR CALLOWAY-CARLISLE-CHRISTIAN-FULTON-GRAVES-
     HICKMAN-MARSHALL-TODD-TRIGG.

MO...WINTER STORM WARNING FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 6 PM CST THURSDAY
     FOR BOLLINGER-CAPE GIRARDEAU-CARTER-PERRY MO-SCOTT-WAYNE MO.

     WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 6 PM CST
     THURSDAY FOR BUTLER-MISSISSIPPI-NEW MADRID-RIPLEY-STODDARD.

IL...WINTER STORM WARNING FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 6 PM CST THURSDAY
     FOR ALEXANDER-EDWARDS-FRANKLIN-GALLATIN-HAMILTON-HARDIN-
     JACKSON-JEFFERSON-JOHNSON-MASSAC-PERRY IL-POPE-PULASKI-
     SALINE-UNION IL-WABASH-WAYNE IL-WHITE-WILLIAMSON.

IN...WINTER STORM WARNING FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 6 PM CST THURSDAY
     FOR GIBSON-PIKE-POSEY-SPENCER-VANDERBURGH-WARRICK.

&&

Hazardous weather outlook, Jan 6, 8:07 PM CST, 3 hours 53 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
807 PM CST WED JAN 6 2010

ILZ075>078-080>094-INZ081-082-085>088-KYZ001>022-MOZ076-086-087-
100-107>112-114-071100-
JEFFERSON-WAYNE IL-EDWARDS-WABASH-PERRY IL-FRANKLIN-HAMILTON-
WHITE-JACKSON-WILLIAMSON-SALINE-GALLATIN-UNION IL-JOHNSON-POPE-
HARDIN-ALEXANDER-PULASKI-MASSAC-GIBSON-PIKE-POSEY-VANDERBURGH-
WARRICK-SPENCER-FULTON-HICKMAN-CARLISLE-BALLARD-MCCRACKEN-GRAVES-
LIVINGSTON-MARSHALL-CALLOWAY-CRITTENDEN-LYON-TRIGG-CALDWELL-
UNION KY-WEBSTER-HOPKINS-CHRISTIAN-HENDERSON-DAVIESS-MCLEAN-
MUHLENBERG-TODD-PERRY MO-BOLLINGER-CAPE GIRARDEAU-WAYNE MO-CARTER-
RIPLEY-BUTLER-STODDARD-SCOTT-MISSISSIPPI-NEW MADRID-
423 PM CST WED JAN 6 2010

...WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 6 PM
CST THURSDAY NORTH OF A LINE FROM ELKTON KENTUCKY TO DONIPHAN
MISSOURI...

...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 6
PM CST THURSDAY ALONG AND SOUTH OF A LINE FROM ELKTON KENTUCKY TO
DONIPHAN MISSOURI...

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHERN
ILLINOIS...SOUTHWEST INDIANA...WESTERN KENTUCKY AND SOUTHEAST
MISSOURI.

.DAY ONE...TONIGHT

A QUICK...BUT WIDESPREAD...WINTER WEATHER EVENT IS EXPECTED TO
MOVE INTO SOUTHWEST ILLINOIS AND SOUTHEAST MISSOURI LATE THIS
EVENING AND OVERSPREAD THE ENTIRE QUAD STATE REGION BY SUNRISE.
SNOWFALL ACCUMULATION WILL BE THE GREATEST BETWEEN MIDNIGHT
THROUGH DAYBREAK...ESPECIALLY UP ALONG THE INTERSTATE 64 CORRIDOR
OF SOUTHERN ILLINOIS. FOR MORE DETAILS...PLEASE REFER TO THE
LATEST WINTER STORM WARNINGS AND ADVISORIES ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL
WEATHER SERVICE IN PADUCAH KENTUCKY.

MINOR FLOODING ON THE LITTLE WABASH RIVER AT CARMI IS EXPECTED TO
END OVERNIGHT. PLEASE REFER TO THE LATEST RIVER FLOOD STATEMENTS FOR
DETAILS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY

THE GREATEST SNOWFALL ACCUMULATION ON THURSDAY WILL LIKELY OCCUR
BETWEEN DAYBREAK AND MIDDAY...MAINLY ACROSS WESTERN KENTUCKY...
SOUTHERN ILLINOIS AND SOUTHWEST INDIANA. GUSTY WEST TO NORTHWEST
WINDS WILL CAUSE BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW THROUGHOUT THE DAY ON
THURSDAY AND INTO THURSDAY NIGHT. FOR MORE DETAILS...PLEASE REFER
TO THE LATEST WINTER STORM WARNINGS AND ADVISORIES ISSUED BY THE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN PADUCAH KENTUCKY.

WIND CHILLS THURSDAY AND FRIDAY NIGHTS WILL RANGE FROM ZERO TO TEN
BELOW ZERO ACROSS THE OUTLOOK AREA. A WIND CHILL ADVISORY MAY BE
NEEDED THESE NIGHTS...ESPECIALLY OVER SOUTHWEST ILLINOIS AND
SOUTHEAST MISSOURI.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED...BUT REPORTS OF ANY SNOW
ACCUMULATIONS SHOULD BE RELAYED TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

5 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Snow, Jackson

When: January 7, 12:00 AM CST to 10:00 AM CST
Where: Jackson forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 37.785, -89.382 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Williamson

When: January 7, 12:00 AM CST to 10:00 AM CST
Where: Williamson forecast zone
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 37.730, -88.930 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Perry

When: January 7, 12:00 AM CST to 10:00 AM CST
Where: Perry forecast zone
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 38.084, -89.367 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Franklin

When: January 7, 12:00 AM CST to 10:00 AM CST
Where: Franklin forecast zone
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 37.992, -88.924 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Jefferson

When: January 7, 12:00 AM CST to 10:00 AM CST
Where: Jefferson forecast zone
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 38.301, -88.924 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Heavy Snow: Snowfall reaching the local warning threshold without the other hazards of a winter storm.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Illinois in 2010 Every state in 2010 This day in weather history Warnings in Illinois, January 2010

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 209704, 209705, 209706, 209707, 209713.